Tough to rule middle kingdom

Despite his early history as a middle-order batsman, Virender Sehwag’s request to finish his career there, rather than opening, may not necessarily be beneficial for him or the team. Ian Chappell writes.

Despite his early history as a middle-order batsman, Virender Sehwag’s request to finish his career there, rather than opening, may not necessarily be beneficial for him or the team.

For starters, Sehwag is ignoring his own advice. He once told David Warner that he’d eventually become a better Test player than a T20 batsman. Warner, playing for the aptly named Delhi Daredevils, seemed surprised at the suggestion and asked for his reasoning. “Because,” replied Sehwag, “in a Test match the field is “up” for the new ball and there are plenty of gaps to hit through.”

That situation also means there are fewer infielders in position to take catches, and for a player like Sehwag, who hits the ball in the air regularly, that’s a major consideration.

Situation differentThen there’s the not-so-minor matter of Sehwag setting the pattern of play at the top of the order. Coming in lower down, the rhythm of the innings is already established and with a few wickets down, as opposed to starting on an equal footing with the bowlers, a batsman’s approach may need to alter.

Take the way Sehwag plays spinners for example. Previously, he’s shown little respect for spinners and, upon their introduction, he has set about trying to drive them into oblivion. As an opener, when you’ve already pummeled the faster bowlers for a quick fire 60 and got the team off to a flying start, Sehwag is afforded some leniency when he then holes out in the deep.

However, when Sehwag is dismissed in the middle-order for a low score and sets off a batting collapse, it’s likely to test the selectors’ patience.

Sehwag will have to take these and other matters, like having to wait to bat, into account if he returns to the middle-order. Nevertheless, the most important aspect of any experienced player looking to slide down the order is his mental state; such a request is generally an admission he is starting to have misgivings.

Wrong signalsRicky Ponting made that mistake late in his career; his move was only minor, going from three to four. Nevertheless, it was a major move mentally and sent a signal to the opposition that Ponting, for so long a dominant batsman, was feeling vulnerable.

Like Ponting, much of Sehwag’s aura as a batsman is bound up in his aggressive approach to the bowling. Once that is diminished with a move down the order it’s like being a wounded animal; the predators smell blood.

Sachin Tendulkar on the other hand has never wavered; he’s batted at number four for the bulk of his career and has remained resolute in not moving lower in the order. In his mind he’s a number four and that’s the way he wants to finish his career.

Part of being a long-term Test player is to know where you want to bat. The captain may not always see things the same way but a batsman must be clear in his mind. The Australian selectors had the misguided idea that I should open and skipper Bill Lawry asked me for my thoughts.

I replied; “Bill you’re the captain and if you tell me I’m opening then I’ll do it but if you’re asking for my preference then it’s to bat at three.” In my mind I was a No 3 and I wanted to remain in that position until I retired.

There have been suggestions that India will need some experience in the middle-order when Tendulkar retires and that Sehwag may provide the answer. India already has plenty of talent and not inconsiderable experience in Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli.

That makes a strong top four when Tendulkar decides to retire. To then replace a middle-order player in his forties with one in his mid-thirties, who is struggling as an opener, doesn’t sound like a progressive move.